SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State swim and dive team captured its 50th straight dual-meet victory on Friday after defeating the University of San Diego at USD's Sports Center Pool.
The Aztecs posted the fastest time in 12 of 13 swimming races, winning eight, while four others were counted as exhibitions. SDSU also claimed event titles in two diving competitions, raising its record to 14-0 on the season and has not lost a dual meet since Jan. 8, 2018, a span of over five years.
In addition, the Aztecs knocked off the Toreros for the third time this year and emerged triumphant over their crosstown adversary for the 30th consecutive occasion dating back to 2001.
Final team scores from SDSU's clash with USD were unavailable at press time and will be tabulated to include two diving events held concurrently during the afternoon at Aztec Aquaplex.
San Diego State's depth was on full display Friday, as the first eight event titles were each claimed by a different Aztec swimmer.
Alex Roberts got things rolling for the visitors with a victory in the 100 backstroke after completing the race in 54.94, while Jeannette King took fourth at 59.89.
Moments later, the Aztecs took care of business by grabbing the top three spots in the 100 breaststroke, highlighted by Meredith Smithbaker's winning effort of 1:01.85, while Moa Bergdahl placed second at 1:03.65, followed by Christiana Williams (1:04.88).
Similarly, SDSU boasted the top three finishers in the 100 butterfly, as Lizzie Menzmer emerged triumphant with a swim of 54.90, while Emily Gebhardt (56.34) and Wilma Johansson (58.23) placed second and third, respectively.
Subsequently, Paige Mitchell was the Aztecs' lone competitor in 1,000 freestyle, and the SDSU senior made it count with a victorious time of 10:26.85, besting the second-place USD swimmer by over 12 seconds.
In the fifth event of the day, the 200 freestyle witnessed a dominating effort by the Aztecs, who recorded the top four times, as Emily Allen touched the wall at 1:53.27, while Avery Turney was second at 1:54.97, ahead of Mai McKenna (1:56.35) and Alyssa Schiller (1:58.43), with the latter time scored as an exhibition.
King returned to capture the event title in the 50 freestyle with a winning time of 23.85, edging Smithbaker, who completed the race at 24.16, while Menzmer took fourth (24.67).
Kristina Murphy took home the top prize in the 200 individual medley shortly thereafter with a first-place effort of 2:00.84, topping teammate Evonne Stehr, who took second at 2:05.53.
SDSU showed no sign of letting up in the 200 butterfly where the Scarlet and Black once again boasted the top three placers in the event. Johansson completed the race in 2:00.23, while McKenna (2:07.32) and Emily Tenczar (2:09.52) were second and third, respectively.
Turney logged the third-fastest time in the 100 freestyle with a clocking of 54.85, followed closely in succession by Smithbaker (54.89) and King (55.01).
Although the Aztecs recorded the fastest time in final four events, those results were scored as exhibitions.
In the 200 backstroke, Riley Tapley clocked in at 1:59.23, while Mitchell completed the 500 freestyle with a swim of 5:05.84.
Not to be outdone, Williams registered an NCAA "B" cut time of 2:13.25 in the 200 breaststroke, finishing ahead of Murphy, who touched the wall at 2:17.75.
The Aztecs wrapped up the swim portion of the meet in the 400 freestyle relay, as the team of Menzmer, Murphy, King and Turney combined for a 3:33.55 clocking, edging the quartet of Stehr, Schiller, Tapley and McKenna, who finished at 3:34.86.
Meanwhile back on The Mesa, SDSU flexed its proverbial muscles in two diving events held at the Aztec Aquaplex, including the 1-meter competition, where the Aztecs grabbed the top three spots with NCAA Zone qualifying marks.
Valentina Lopez Arevalo found herself perched atop the standings with a season-best total of 298.35 points, while Ximena Lechuga Gonzalez placed second (278.25 pts), followed by Summer Westmoreland (271.35 pts). Westmoreland also established a season high, along with teammate Emma Duggan (256.35 pts), who took fourth.
In the 3-meter event, the Scarlet and Black sported the top five finishers, led by Lechuga Gonzalez, who broke the NCAA Zone qualifying plateau with 320.78 points, surpassing her season high by over 34 points, while Duggan (274.35 pts) landed in the runner-up position, followed in succession by Lopez Arevalo (261.38 pts), Olivia Zamudio (255.00 pts) and Westmoreland (252.23 pts). Additionally, Zamudio's total marked a career best.
Aztec divers will be back in action next weekend when they hit the road for the NAU Lumberjack Invitational, Feb. 3-5, in Flagstaff, Arizona.
The entire San Diego State squad will reconvene two weeks later when it travels to the Lone Star State for the Mountain West Championship, Feb. 15-18, in Houston, Texas.
Aztecs Capture 50th Straight Dual-Meet Victory
